Senator Al Franken (D-MN) is a former comedian and says he used to make a living identifying absurdity. He finds the reasons from Republicans to block President Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland are that – absurd. During Thursday’s Senate Judiciary Committee meeting he proceeds to dismantles the GOP logic.

“Let the people decide and so the presidential election should decide,” said Franken quoting the reason Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has used as a reason to push off any hearings on Obama’s Supreme Court nominee until there a new president is elected.

“The president has a four-year term,” said Franken. “Scientists tell us that there are approximately ten months left in his term.”

“But then I hear colleagues from the other side saying ‘well you know what, if the election goes the wrong way, I’d be happy to consider this nomination during the lame duck.’ How absurd is that? So it’s ‘let the people decide’ unless they decide on Hillary Clinton, in which case ‘let us decide.’

“Do you guys talk to you each other? That’s what I want to know. I just hear such contradictory stuff coming out from your side.

Video: Franken On Republican Obstructionism

“The American people know exactly what this is. This is just underscoring the obstruction that we have seen since this president came to Washington. And it’s been no secret. The House getting together and saying ‘we are not going to vote for anything’. The now Senate Majority leader saying ‘our number one goal is to see that this is a one-term president.’”

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) tried to argue that Republican nominees for the Supreme Court have not gotten a hearing.

“Who we talking about?” asked Franken.

“How about Robert Bork, one of the greatest legal minds we’ve had,” said Hatch.

“I believe Robert Bork had hearings, said Franken. “I was in the job of identifying absurdity during Judge Bork’s hearings. And so for you to say to me that Judge Bork didn’t get hearings, I don’t know what I was watching.”

“No I didn’t say that,” replied Hatch.

“Yes you did,” shot back Franken.

“I meant to say that’s where it all began,” said Hatch

“The tit for tat argument has been made and there has been some of that,” replied Franken. “But let’s be honest. Let’s at least be honest while we’re talking about this stuff. You can’t say I want the people to decide, wait for the next president, oh wait a minute, if we lose the election then we’ll vote for this guy. Then we’ll have this. Will you at least admit to me that is contradictory?”

“If I were in your shoes, I’d be saying ‘oh that’s wonderful,’” said Hatch. “At least you’re going to vote for this nominee, one way or the other.”

“No, it’s double-talk. Don’t you see that as double-talk?” asked Franken.

“No,” said Hatch.

“You cannot see that?” asked Franken. “You cannot see to say ‘let the people decide’ and forgetting that the people have decided that the President of the United States is the one who makes the nomination and we do advise and consent. The President is still in his term. But then to say ‘we want the people to decide’ so it’s the next president, but then if we lose that election then we will take up this president’s nomination because that will be better than the next president’s nomination and we probably will have lost the Senate because people will be seeing what we’re doing here and react in a way where they will elect, throw out Republican Senators — I’m just extrapolating on what I’m hoping happens. Don’t you see that though? Doesn’t anyone here see that? I guess not. I guess not. Maybe it was my training in my previous career. Thank you.”

Support this story and all the stories from The Uptake. Donate.

Michael McIntee is a former network TV news executive with more than 30 years of broadcasting experience. He began his broadcasting career at the University of Minnesota's student radio station. He is an expert producer, writer, video editor who has a fondness for new technology but denies that he is a geek. More about Michael McIntee »

Tell Senator Franken that ‘I see it’ ! I used to think that Republicans were smart but mean.Then I thought they were sly and sneaky. But now I’m thinking they are just run-of-the-mill stupid. Whatever ever used to make their brains work, simply stopped. And honestly as a 60+ year old who has been paying attention since I was 13 and Kennedy was killed, I am convinced it was the ‘concussion’ to their heads to see a black man in the Oval office! There is just no logical, rational explanation left. Now their brains are stuck in a loop – “black man in office, can’t think”. For proof, look at Al Franken’s comments one more time — “can’t you see it?”

After listening to this, I have to agree with Senator Franken; he is right on with this subject. The Republicans in Congress have certainly earned their reputation of being “The Party Of NO!” They have obstructed the progress of this country with their behavior, and certainly raises the question of perhaps they are bigots. They are behaving like little children in kindergarten, and this is why the American voters are so darn angry with them. I hope they all are made an example of by being voted out of office in this coming election. The voters would certainly be justified in doing so! It would certainly send a message to all future Congresses!

Outside Sen. Franken's office, Minnesota MoveOn members join a nationwide, "Thank you," to Democratic Senators for their efforts to get a hearing for President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.

Outside Sen. Franken's office, Minnesota MoveOn members join a nationwide, "Thank you," to Democratic Senators for their efforts to get a hearing for President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.

Where This Story Happens

Sign up for news from The UpTake!

Recent Posts

Hillary Clinton continues to cut into Donald Trump's lead a Wisconsin recounts its presidential votes. However, her gain net gain of 60 votes has barely cut into Trump's pre-recount lead of about 22,000 votes.

Wisconsin's presidential recount is drawing to a close, but it's hard to tell what is happening in the state's most populous city because absentee ballots have not been recounted. Milwaukee counts and recounts its absentee ballots after it counts the votes cast on election day.

Wisconsin's presidential recount is finding more votes for both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, but not enough Clinton votes for her to significantly cut into Trump's 27,000 vote margin according to figures from the Wisconsin Elections Board tallied through Monday. Because Milwaukee has not counted its absentee ballots, it is hard to tell from the Wisconsin Elections Board's spread sheet whether either candidate has gained any votes in that city.

Categories

Archives

About The UpTake

The UpTake is an independent, nonprofit (501 c 3) online news organization that began its work in 2007 with a few simple ideas: That media should find and tell the truth without fear or favor; that citizens have the tools to report and explain events without relying on news controlled by large corporations; and that it is the duty of citizens to hold power accountable and to make government transparent to the governed.